School, Student Texts To Include Parents

By David Arnett

The House today adopted Senate amendments to a bill that would require school personnel engaging in electronic or digital communication with a student to include the student’s parent or guardians. House Bill 3958, authored by Rep. Sherrie Conley, R-Newcastle, now moves to the governor. This is good news for Oklahomans raising children.

“There have been absolutely too many reports of inappropriate digital communications shared between educators and students, whether that be inappropriate pictures or texts of a sexual nature,” Conley said. “These have long-term devastating effects for young people and can ruin the lives of educators when they are wrongly accused. It’s our desire that teachers and coaches be able to share homework assignments or team communications freely with their students, but including a parent or guardian protects the students and the educators from any potential impropriety. This also keeps parents fully engaged in their child’s education.”

Continue reading →

Salient & Tulsa’s Climate Energy Ecosystem

By David Arnett

Regional Connection to Accelerate Advancements in Climate

 Salient Predictions, the leader in S2S weather forecasting and insights, today announced in a release it has strengthened its ties to Tulsa’s innovation ecosystem, leveraging previous investments from Energy Innovation Capital (EIC) Rose Rock and support from Rose Rock Bridge (RRB), an incubator program supported by an extensive network of leaders across the energy sector. RRB selected Salient to be one of the first RRB startup incubator members to build an energy innovation community in Tulsa. Salient’s presence in Tulsa exemplifies the dynamic integration of business and science, driving the future of climate technology in the region.

“Oklahoma has significant contributions to meteorology and climate science, highlighted by the University of Oklahoma’s esteemed School of Meteorology and NOAA’s National Weather Service Forecast Office,” noted Dr. Ray Schmitt, co-founder of Salient. “We collaborate closely with the university, where Dr. Jason Furtado, a member of our Science Advisory Board, teaches and conducts crucial research. Additionally, Dr. Ty Dickinson, a climate scientist with deep ties to the area and an expert in extreme weather, joined our team last year, working out of Salient’s space within the Rose Rock Bridge incubator. These connections are integral to our mission to enhance climate understanding and forecasting capabilities. Salient is proud to be part of this vibrant community, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in climate technology.”

Salient’s semi-annual meeting and company retreat, which includes scientists from all over the world, will take place in Tulsa from May 13-17, 2024. Both private and public activities are planned to foster innovation and collaboration in the climate science sector, bolstered by local and academic ties.

Continue reading →

OK AG Drummond Testimony to Congress

By David Arnett

Attorney General Gentner Drummond today told a U.S. House subcommittee how a revised rule by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will have devastating consequences for Oklahoma and other states. Drummond had been invited by the House Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials to deliver testimony for a hearing titled “EPA’s RMP Rule: Failures to Protect the American People and American Manufacturing.” The subcommittee is part of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Drummond told subcommittee members he has filed a number of lawsuits against the Biden Administration for federal overreach, but the agency he has litigated more than any other is the EPA.

“Unfortunately, EPA consistently promotes policies and issues rules that are bad for businesses, harmful to consumers, and outright hostile to America’s oil and gas industry,” he said. “The rule under review today is no exception.”

Slated to take effect Friday, the expanded final rule of the EPA’s Risk Management Program (RMP) will impact facilities that handle threshold quantities of specific chemicals.

Continue reading →

Owasso Native Aboard Floating Airport

By Rick Burke, Navy Office of Community Outreach

Seaman Landon Gregory, a native of Owasso, Oklahoma, is one of more than 5,000 sailors serving aboard the self-contained mobile airport, USS Theodore Roosevelt.

Equipped with a full flight deck and more than 60 aircraft including attack fighter jets and helicopters, aircraft carriers are one of the largest warships in the world.

Gregory, a 2022 graduate of Tulsa Lighthouse Christian Academy, joined the Navy over a year ago.

“In third grade, my teacher asked our class what career they wanted when they got older,” said Gregory. “I chose the military. My grandad was in the Navy and, although I had other dreams growing up, the military stayed with me.”

Seaman Landon Gregory
Continue reading →

Oklahoma State of the Parties

By David Arnett

Analysis: While it is likely Will Rogers, Oklahoma’s Favorite Son, would be a Republican today, his quote from back in the day on party politics declared, “I’m not a member of any organized political party, I’m a Democrat.” He might enjoy that both parties now question their own organizations.

What is the primary goal of a political party? Is a party’s mission to represent membership in public debates or to increase the numbers of registered members and level of participation? Are party goals better accomplished from the top down or grassroots up? How can members ensure county and state leadership represent their views? Can any party remain viable with competing, if not contradictory, agendas? Are “establishments” in parties working against their own majorities?

Bruce Niemi, Chair of the Tulsa County Democratic Party, in an interview with this writer said, “People are getting into politics for all kinds of reasons. They used to be just lawyers. Currently I think it is mostly preachers and teachers.

Continue reading →