Category Archives: State

Human Services host sessions on aging

By David Arnett

In May, Oklahoma Human Services will host 10 listening sessions in five different cities across the state to assess the needs of aging Oklahomans. Through these open forum listening sessions, the agency plans to gather critical information from the current aging community and its providers to help in the development of a Multisector Plan on Aging. The agency is inviting Tulsa residents to participate Tuesday, May 9 at Life Senior Center at Southminster (3500 S. Peoria Ave.) from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Continue reading →

Food Insecurity Bill becomes law

By David Arnett

Legislation allowing restaurants and school cafeterias to donate leftover food without threat of civil liability, except in certain circumstances, has been signed into law.

House Bill 1542, authored by Rep. Anthony Moore, R-Clinton, grants civil immunity to restaurants and school cafeterias donating leftover food.

Continue reading →

Bartlesville City Council Recall

By David Arnett

NEOKgrassroots.org is organizing an effort to recall three Bartlesville City Councilors. This is the direct result of Council approval of public drag-shows contrary to expressed community outrage over such events being held at public venues (first in a public park in the center of the city). Public Votes have consequences.

NEOKgrassroots organizer Sarah Burnett wrote further on Facebook, “We live in a conservative small town, yet last year, a drag show took place on public property. Even though municipal code dictates that “[anyone who] lewdly exposes his person or genitals in any public place….shall be guilty…of a felony,” this event was allowed to take place, with many children in attendance.”

Continue reading →

Historically high natural gas prices

By David Arnett

After a hurried two months of stops and starts, and last-minute changes delivered less than two hours before the meeting Thursday, Corporation Commissioners Todd Hiett and Kim David approved orders declaring more than $6 billion of OG&E, ONG and PSO’s fuel procurement costs and expenses for 2021 to be “fair, just, reasonable and prudent” – costs and expenses that include the historically high natural gas prices paid during the February 2021 Winter Storm. Commissioner Bob Anthony disagreed.

Continue reading →

We remember 4/19

By David Arnett

The Oklahoma Historical Society today on Facebook writes, “On April 19, 1995, at 9:02 a.m. a 4,800-pound ammonium nitrate-fuel oil bomb exploded in a Ryder truck parked at the north entrance of the Alfred P Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, killing 168 people and injuring approximately 850.

“The governor’s office reported that 30 children were orphaned, 219 children lost at least one parent, 462 people were left homeless, and 7,000 people lost their workplace. The City of Oklahoma City’s Final Report estimated property damage to more than 300 buildings in a 48-square-block area. The bombing was the nation’s worst single act of domestic terrorism (superseded in numbers of dead only by the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, in New York City).

Continue reading →