State Senate Dist. 33 Debate Report

By Cheryl Wilburg

On Monday, May 13, 2024, there was a debate by 3 of the 4 candidates running for OK SD33, the seat currently belonging to State Senator Nathan Dahm, who will term out at the end of the current session. Christi Gillispie, Shelley Gwartney, and Tim Brooks came to tell the citizens of District 33 why they should be the next Oklahoma State Senator from Broken Arrow.

In a randomly drawn order, Christi Gillispie began her introductory remarks with a story about herself as a child, “putting the fish back in the fishbowl” contrary to instructions from authority. Tim Brooks talked about the foundational American principles of “Life, Liberty, and Property.” Shelley Gwartney talked about her work with Moms for Liberty and Oklahomans for Health and Parental Rights (OKHPR) in promoting parents’ rights when it comes to protecting their kids and ensuring civilization’s future.

From left to right: Shelly Gwartney, Tim Brooks and Christi Gillispie
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School Response to Abuse Raises Concern

By Jonathan Small

Given that former Shawnee Assistant Athletic Director Ron Arthur was arrested in 2021 for crimes involving a student, you might expect Shawnee officials to go to great lengths to demonstrate they take student safety seriously.

Instead, a recent legal maneuver indicates that district officials think the real problem is that too many people raised concerns about Arthur.

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Bipartisan Push for Americans’ Release

By David Arnett

On Monday evening, Congressman Josh Brecheen (R-OK) returned from a bipartisan, bicameral congressional delegation (CODEL) to Turks and Caicos (TCI) where the members met with TCI government officials to discuss the five Americans being detained on the islands for inadvertently having ammunition in their luggage. If convicted, the Americans could each face a twelve-year minimum prison sentence. One of the Americans trapped is Ryan Tyler Watson, of Oklahoma.

Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) led the CODEL and also in attendance was Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) and Reps. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Michael Cloud (R-TX), and Bob Good (R-VA).

Congressional delegation meeting in Turks and Caicos
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Keep OK Beautiful Paint Program

By David Arnett

Keep Oklahoma Beautiful (KOB) will open applications for its Paint Oklahoma Beautiful program June 1, 2024. This initiative supports community beautification projects by providing organizations with paint donated by HIS Paint and stipend checks for supplies.

The Paint Oklahoma Beautiful program allows eligible organizations to apply for donated paint to enhance the visual appeal of public spaces. “We are so thrilled to partner with HIS Paint and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality to bring this program to communities across the state of Oklahoma,” said Maeve Phillips, Program Manager at KOB. “We want to empower local groups to take pride in their town and contribute to a more beautiful Oklahoma.” 

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Help Authorized for Prisoner Care

By David Arnett

On Monday, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed into law Senate Bill 1668, authored by Sen. John Haste, R-Broken Arrow. This important legislation provides Oklahoma sheriffs with the authority to contract with private security firms to guard detainees or prisoners temporarily housed for treatment in medical facilities outside the confines of jail officials said in a release today.

“This bill is a critical step in maintaining the safety and security of our communities while ensuring that detainees and prisoners can receive necessary medical care,” Haste said. “By allowing sheriffs to contract with qualified private security firms, we can provide the necessary oversight and protection in medical facilities without overburdening our law enforcement officers.”

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