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State

Cover: Prepping schools

After a unanimous vote on the Pathway to Greatness plan, Oklahoma City Public Schools District is working to make sure schools are ready by the first day of next term.

The Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) board of education voted March 4 to adopt a plan that will shut down 15 schools and reconfigure 17 others.

By Miguel Rios Mar 22, 2019

Oklahoma City Public Schools OKCPS Sean McDaniel Rebecca Budd Carrie Coppernoll Jacobs Charles Henry Ruth Veales Pathway to Greatness P2G education public schools school closures school reconfigurations Alliance for Better Community Schools T. Sheri Dickerson Jose Sanchez Pela Calderon Christina Simmons

Reform justice

Criminal justice experts are following and supporting reform bills that could upend Oklahoma’s system and tackle the state’s biggest issues.

Criminal justice reform is a major agenda topic in this year’s legislative session.

By Miguel Rios Mar 15, 2019

Damion Shade Kris Steele criminal justice criminal justice reform politics legislature legislation house senate house bills senate bills mass incarceration prison reform bail reform prison sentences Oklahoma policy institute oklahomans for criminal justice reform community impact ments smart reform OCJR

Beyond February

Black Oklahomans deal with deep, significant challenges that have faced them for decades and will continue to affect them disproportionately without criminal justice reform.

After the abolition of slavery, black Oklahomans continued struggling in the fight for equality.

By Miguel Rios Feb 28, 2019

black Oklahomans Jim Crow laws Civil Rights Act of 1964 Nappy Roots Books Camille Landry Oklahoma Policy Institute black history month The Sentencing Project Prison Policy Initiative Tatyana Fazlalizadeh Christopher G. Acoff Original Flow Oklahoma Is Black Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center

Black Oklahoma

Black Oklahomans discuss navigating life as marginalized people in the Sooner State.

The history of black Oklahomans is tied to the Trail of Tears, as slaves came with their Native American masters to what became known as Oklahoma.

By Miguel Rios Feb 20, 2019

Black History Month Christopher G. Acoff Original Flow Camille Landry Tatyana Fazlalizadeh Oklahoma Is Black America is Black Oklahoma Contemporary Nappy Roots Books Black Oklahoma

Finding justice

Anita Hill keynotes a fundraising gala for an Oklahoma university’s new social justice center.

Former University of Oklahoma law professor Anita Hill entered the national spotlight in 1991, testifying against U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas, whom she accused of sexual harassment.

By Miguel Rios Feb 13, 2019

University of Oklahoma University of Oklahoma College of Law Anita Hill Brandeis University Clarence Thomas Supreme Court Brett Kavanaugh Christine Blasey Ford University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma USAO Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher Center for Social Justice and Racial Healing Social Justice Racial Healing OU Board of Regents Oklahoma History Center USAO gala

Youth protection

An Oklahoma representative introduced a bill that would ban conversion therapy for minors.

Sara Cunningham is the founder of Free Mom Hugs, an organization that advocates for LGBTQ+ rights.

By Miguel Rios Feb 6, 2019

Free Mom Hugs Sara Cunningham LGBTQ+ rights LGBTQ+ Pride Jason Dunnington Youth Mental Health Protection Act conversion therapy reparative therapy aversive therapy affirmative therapy counseling Sam Brinton the Trevor project UCLA School of Law The Williams Institute

Head start

Rep. Kendra Horn was just sworn in at the beginning of January but is already preparing for the 2020 election as Republicans take aim at her seat.

Kendra Horn pulled off a surprising upset in November after defeating incumbent Rep. Steve Russell for the state’s 5th Congressional District.

By Miguel Rios Jan 31, 2019

Kendra Horn 5th congressional district Steve Russell U.S. Rep. Steve Russell Common Sense for Oklahomans Cole Community Center town hall meeting congresswoman horn rep horn National Republican Congressional Committee NRCC government shutdown border security education higher ed metro tech student loan debt student loan health care criminal justice reform connecting with Kendra space foundation space infrastructure GPS NOAA 2020 midterm

Oklahoma turnaround

Kevin Stitt has five pillars to make Oklahoma a top 10 state, but Oklahomans have their own ideas of what he should do.

Oklahoma’s 28th governor took the oath of office last week, right before giving an inaugural address that echoed many of his campaign promises.

By Miguel Rios Jan 25, 2019

Governor Oklahoma Andy Moore Richard Johnson David Blatt Let’s Fix This Oklahoma City University political science Oklahoma Policy Institute OK Policy Kevin Stitt Gov. Stitt Mary Fallin budget education economy healthcare rural hospitals Pauls Valley Regional Medical Center Becker’s Hospital Review Morning Consult Oklahoma’s Turnaround justice reform medicaid Department of Human Services Department of Corrections

Cooking dreams

The Education and Employment Ministry, TEEM, offers inmates the chance to gain cooking skills.

Deborah Palmer and Joby Johnson were two of 10 incarcerated Oklahomans who found hope and healing in the kitchen this fall.

By Nazarene Harris Jan 11, 2019

TEEM The Education and Employment Ministry Deborah Palmer Joby Johnson Kris Steele Steven Joule National Restaurant Association

Declining health

Researchers find a link between expanding Medicaid for low-income adults and insuring children.

A damning statistic has been making headlines across the nation since its release in November.

By Nazarene Harris Jan 3, 2019

SoonerCare Medicaid Joan Alker Olivia Pham Oklahoma Healthcare Authority Katelynn Burns David Murphey

Labor pains

Criminal justice reform in Oklahoma sheds light on what life is like for female inmates.

Twenty-six-year-old Kayla Jo Jeffries remembers the night she gave birth to her now 2-year-old daughter, Emersyn, the way most women do — as if it were yesterday.

By Nazarene Harris Dec 28, 2018

Kayla Jo Jeffries inmate maternity maternity Mable Bassett Correctional Center OU Medical Center Mary Fallin The Oklahoma Reclassification of Some Drugs and Property Crimes as Misdemeanors Initiative Question 780 House Bill 3393 Regina Goodwin U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division Oklahoma County Jail Matt Elliott Brittany Chavez First Step Act

Opportunity overlooked

Education advocates hope to raise awareness of career technology programs.

During his three decades as an educator, Mid-America Technology Center administration superintendent Dusty Ricks said he has seen no educational opportunity in the state that is quite as valuable yet underrated as a local career technology center.

By Nazarene Harris Dec 27, 2018

CareerTech Mid-America Technology Center Dusty Ricks Paula Bowles Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education Smith-Hughes Act Joy Hofmeister Individual Career Academic Plan ICAP House Bill 2155

Glory road

A look back at Oklahoma’s leading female corporate executive sheds light on the state’s road to feminism.

A story or two has been told of an Oklahoma girl who grew up and made her small town proud.

By Nazarene Harris Dec 21, 2018

Carlene Roberts American Airlines Linda Cavanaugh KFOR Louisa McCune The Kirkpatrick Foundation

Taking time

Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform plans on moving forward with commutation and possible expungement efforts.

She has been called the face of a movement.

By Nazarene Harris Dec 20, 2018

Kayla Jo Jeffries Oklahoma County Jail Mary Fallin Glen Blake Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform commutation University of Tulsa School of Law SQ 780 Oklahoma Reclassification of Some Drugs and Property Crimes as Misdemeanors Initiative SQ 781 Kris Steele Greg Mashburn Sarah McManes

Painful consequences

A new law created by Senate Bill 1446 aims to reduce opioid dependency but might have unintended negative effects on sufferers of chronic pain.

In October, chronic pain sufferer Dan Freeman (not his real name) received a letter from his pain management doctor stating that a severance of treatment was necessary due to a new law on the horizon.

By Nazarene Harris Dec 12, 2018

Oklahoma Senate Bill 1446 chronic pain acute pain pain management opioid addiction Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision Lyle Kelsey

Oklahoma divided

Results from Oklahoma’s Nov. 6 elections reflect a divide between urban and rural counties.

Results from Oklahoma’s Nov. 6 elections caused emotions to stir across a state that ushered in new governor Kevin Stitt and turned representation in Oklahoma’s 5th congressional district over to a Democrat for the first time in 43 years.

By Nazarene Harris Nov 16, 2018

Kevin Stitt Oklahoma Oklahoma City elections University of Central Oklahoma Louis Furmanski Drew Edmondson Oklahoma Education Association Carrie Coppernoll Jacobs Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association Michael Kelsey

Smooth voting

While other areas of the country faced long lines and technical errors, Oklahoma and Cleveland counties saw few Election Day problems.

Election officials are pleased with yesterday’s smooth operations at polling sites.

By Miguel Rios Nov 7, 2018

Giving tree

A new program transforms an old shelter into a one-stop-shop for parents working toward family reunification.

Nicole Lopez is no longer the perfect wife of her soon-to-be ex-husband.

By Nazarene Harris Oct 24, 2018

Nicole Lopez Pauline Mayer Children’s Shelter Oklahoma City Department of Human Services DHS Casey White Family Tree NorthCare OU Physicians Fostering Hope Clinic University of Oklahoma’s Center on Child Abuse and Neglect Court Appointed Special Advocates of Oklahoma County CASA Georgeann Duty Deb Shropshire

Essential testing

Work is being done to force Oklahoma to test more than 7,000 untested rape kits.

Sexual assault advocates say the revelation that thousands of rape kits have been left untested in Oklahoma is serving as a catalyst for reform within a state that is finally joining a national movement towards justice for victims.

By Nazarene Harris Oct 17, 2018

Kay Floyd Mary Fallin backlog untested rape kits rape kits rape Oklahoma Danielle Tudor sexual assault domestic violence Joyful Heart Mariska Hargitay YWCA DNA testing

Sonic sale

With the sale of Sonic Corp. to Inspire Brands, Oklahomans hold tight to their memories and the beloved ice.

On Sept. 25, Oklahoma City-based Sonic Corp. officials announced the sale of their company and its more than 3,600 Sonic Drive-In locations to Inspire Brands Inc., owners of Arby’s and Buffalo Wild Wings, for $2.3 billion.

By Nazarene Harris Oct 2, 2018

Sonic Corp. Inspire Brands Arby's Buffalo Wild Wings Christi Woodworth Jill Johnston Luker Jonathan Fowler Sonic Sonic ice Phil Cross Makayla Smith Carrie Underwood Troy Smith Bob Blackburn Oklahoma Historical Society Dollie Smith Leslie Baugh Troy Smith Jr. Rusty Taco