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Cover: Shadow of doubt

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) opened doors for me that had been locked for a long time. It gave me and 800,000 other Dreamers a two-year work permit, a social security number, relief from the threat of deportation and the opportunity to get a driver’s license. With all that, it also opened the door […]

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‘Tightening the noose’

Basically other states have come to their senses about pot, both medical and recreational and the associated prison reform. Once again, Oklahoma is tightening the noose on its citizens. When Oklahoma uses human incarceration as a major economic model, it is helpful to keep the private prisons and the legal system clogged with nonviolent drug […]

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No toke over the line

Gov. Mary Fallin recently signed a new law that makes it illegal for drivers to have even a trace of marijuana in their blood, saliva or urine while in control of a vehicle. Technically, beginning Oct. 1, someone could smoke a joint on Saturday and then get arrested for drunken driving the following Monday morning […]

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The good, the bad and the goofy

In other words: situation normal. Thirty-six months from now, you’ll enjoy an average tax reduction of 35 cents a day. Gov. Mary Fallin says that is necessary for Oklahoma to be more attractive to business decision-makers. Thirty-five cents daily more in our pockets with an effective date of 2016 doesn’t meet the smell test. Regardless, […]

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Dead or alive

Although House leadership this session quashed bills that sought to outlaw texting while driving, proponents of the legislation tried again last week. No go. An amendment that would have limited the ban to school zones, work zones and intersections failed, too. Faring better was a plan to let teachers and other school personnel arm themselves […]

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Lethal distraction

Cherrish Abinah Credit: Shannon Cornman Edmond Memorial High School’s Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is leading an effort to get stricter laws on the books. In Tulsa, a youth-run group called Generation tXt has also been a large part of a grassroots push for an Oklahoma law. Both organizations work on outreach […]

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