Gov. Mary Fallin’s former personal chef is now working for Southeast High School. That’s right. She debuted her special, Happy Trails Stir-Fry over Steamed Brown Rice, to fanfare — and requests for seconds — late last month, reports NewsOK. Robin Obert-Magturo will help decide what 41,000 Oklahoma City Public School children eat, in accordance with […]
politics
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The gents of politics
The December magazine lists “Conservatives We Love,” and two of the five are U.S. Sen Tom Cole, Oklahoma deputy majority whip, and T.W. Shannon, Oklahoma Speaker of the House. Of Cole, the mag gushes, “Because he respects people regardless of their political ideologies.” Of Shannon, the magazine says, “Because he believes in investing in infrastructure.” […]
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What are Oklahoma progressives to do?
Prominent Democrats with clear name recognition have yet to announce candidacies for major statewide offices, such as governor. People involved in our political scene point to the negative impact President Barack Obama’s sheer existence will have on his same-party candidates in Oklahoma. The GOP here has demonized the president to the point of absurdity, but […]
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Popularity contest
Although voters won’t head to the polls for another four months (the primary is March 4), mayoral candidate and Ward 2 Councilman Ed Shadid received unanimous backing from the OKC police and fire unions. None of Oklahoma City’s neighborhood associations have publicly endorsed Mayor Mick Cornett in his re-election bid. However, more than 700 Oklahoma […]
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LETTERS
As long as any politically useful segment of the American electorate believes that preachers can cure cancer with their bare hands or that intelligence is a product of education rather than a prerequisite, then the nation’s political life will be both insane and idiotic. — Oklahoma City Oklahoma Gazette provides an open forum for the […]
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Injunction junction
Credit: Brad Gregg Um, at least that’s the takeaway of state Sen. Anthony Sykes, R-Moore, a key supporter of an Oklahoma constitutional amendment to ban the use of Sharia law in state courts. On Aug. 15, a federal judge issued a permanent injunction against the amendment, which voters overwhelmingly approved in a 2010 statewide vote […]
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Advancing Medicaid reform
The consultants recommended accepting federal Medicaid-expansion funding but using it to underwrite private insurance purchases for poor Oklahomans. SB 640 would have given these citizens a choice of private insurance or the present SoonerCare insurance plan. The Leavitt Partners wanted to push eligible clients to use the ACA’s health-insurance exchange and Indian Health Services. SB […]
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Allergy sufferers give thanks
This requirement would have necessitated a doctor’s co-pay for each appointment, ultimately leading to a massive increase in the cost of these safe, common, vital medicines. It also would have increased the number of doctor visits and thereby strained the demands on Oklahoma’s medical system. As someone who depends on cold and allergy medicine to […]
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Whoa, Nelly!
Credit: Brad Gregg Although a new state law that would allow horse slaughterhouses takes effect Nov. 1, a federal judge on Aug. 2 approved an injunction against allowing such facilities to operate in the country. The Humane Society of the United States contends in litigation that the U.S. Department of Agriculture failed to perform a […]
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Mr. Popular
Credit: Brad Gregg On Reynolds’ newly launched website, shannonforcongress.com, he appears to accuse Shannon of everything short of stealing candy from a baby. The Oklahoma City Republican suggests Shannon took a pair of illegal corporate campaign contributions, has a sorry legislative track record and even has played fast and loose with his claim of being […]